Fig. 5.

Effects of lipophilic DEP-EOMs in PHEC. PHEC were exposed to DEP-EOM at concentrations corresponding to 1 or 5 μg/mL (0.15 and 0.75 μg/cm²) of native particles, vehicle (DMSO) or 1 μM B[a]P (positive control) for 24 h. The expressions of IL-1α, IL-1β, CXCL8, COX2, MMP-1, HO-1, CYP1A1, CYP1B1 and PAI-2 was measured by q-PCR (a). MMP-1 up-regulation were confirmed with ELISA, showing 45-90% higher levels of MMP-1 in growth medium from PHEC exposed to n-hexane or DCM (b). The mRNA levels are presented relative to gene expression in cells exposed to DMSO, represented by the dotted line at 1. Data are based on results from experiments with PHEC from 4 healthy donors. The results are expressed as mean ± SEM (A/B: n = 4). *Statistically significant difference from unexposed controls